Game apparatus.



G. H. CLARK.

GAME APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 23, 1914.

LILSLQRQ Patented Mar.9,1915.

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G.H.GLARK.

GAME APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY23,191&

LlfiLQlUL Patented M21129, 1915.

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THE NORRIS PETERS 60.. F'HOTOVLITHDH WASHINGroN. By C,

GEORGE HARDY CLARK, OF WATERLOO, IOWA.

GAME APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 9, tat-ti.

Application filed May 23, 1914. Serial No. 840,537.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEoRoE HARDY CLARK, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of "Waterloo, Blackhawk county, Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Game Apparatus, of which the following is a. specification.

My invention relates to improvements in games, and particularly to that type of games in which a missile or throw-stick or other projectile is cast into or against differ ent objects from spaced bases, with the purpose of successfully achieving a complete round of the goals with a minimum of casts or strokes of the missile.

The object of my improvement is to fur nish a new and desirable arrangement in the arrangement and form of the objects or goals as acted upon by an improved form of missile or throw-stick. This object I have accomplished by the means which are hereinafter described and claimed, and which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a receptacle having sides of differing heights, and used as one of the goals. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of a wicket having relatively narrowly spaced uprights. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of another wicket, in-which the uprights are more broadly spaced apart. Fig. 4 is a front elevation of a standard and removable pennant thereon. Fig. 5 is an elevation of one of the base stakes. Fig. 6 is a longitudinal central section of one of the missiles or throw-sticks. Fig. 7 is an elevation of one of the longer bowler pins. Fig. 8 is an elevation of a shorter bowler pin. Fig. 9 is a perspective view of one of the base-blocks for the longer bowler pins, while Fig. 10 is a similar view of a baseblock for the shorter bowler pin, and Fig. 11 is a like view of one of the triangular or wedge-like bases. Fig. 12 is the game diagram.

Similar characters of reference denote corresponding parts throughout the several views.

Referring first to Figs. 1 to 11 inclusive, H in Fig. 1 denotes a goal receptacle which comprises four uprights A of like form and size, spaced apart, but connected together by the following means: The characters h, if, h, 725, and it denote respectively the four sides and the bottom of a rectangular casing made of canvas or other flexible but firm mikterial, and the upper edges of the canvas being secured in tubular form to receive the four cross-bars if. The ends of the said bars are inserted removably in sockets formed in said uprights at appropriate heights, the uprights being seated within the upright angles of the casing to extend downwardly through holes in the casing with their lower extremities pointed to be readily fixed in the ground. The character it denotes similar cross-bars which have their ends placed in like sockets in said uprights but spaced below the bottom of said casing, while tie-strings h are secured from the bottom of the sides of the casing and passed about the crossbars it. By this means, the sides of said casing are stretched and made taut. The two adjacent sides It and k are of the same vertical height, but the side if is of greater vertical width, the bar it supporting the same being secured to the uprights it above the level of said sides in and 7211. The side h is still wider vertically than the side 71 so as to be spaced above the latter. The above arrangement of the three sides ii if and 7?, places them at successively greater elevations, for a purpose to be hereinafter described. The wicket T has narrowly spaced vertical uprights 6 connected by spaced horizontal bars 6 '5 with the lower ends of the uprights sharpened to be driven into the ground. This wicket will be hereafter referred to by name of middie. Fig. 3 shows a wicket J comprising uprights j connected by spaced horizontal bars 7' j the spacing between the uprights being wider than with said middie, and the uprights themselves shorter, with the latter similarly pointed for easy insertion into the soil. The pointed basestake A as also the wedge-shaped block C, are used as will be hereinafter described to indicate the bases or locations from which the player casts the throw-stick B toward the various goals. The stick B is of a cylindrical form, centrally longitudinally orificed, with short cylindrical weights of metal plugged into the ends of the orifice to lend to the missile the necessary weight. The pins F and G, hereinafter called bowlers, are of cylindrical shape, the bowler G being shorter. The single shorter bowler G is to be placed on a base-block D of wedge-shape, while the bowlers F are placed in pair on the base-block E also of wedge-shape, on the outer limits of the transverse grooves on the top thereof, in spaced relation. The character K denotes the ensign of each player, which consists of the assemblage of a stick is having an ofl'set top part 10 with a metallic or rigid pennant 70 removably seated on .said part 70 the lower end of the stick being pointed for insertion into the ground.

The above described parts are all those which are employed in my improved game apparatus, but one of each being used, except that each player is supplied with three throw-sticks B, each set of sticks being painted with an individual color, while a pair 'of bowlers F are used on one baseblock E, and seven of each of the basebl'ocks-C and base-stakes A are used to indicate the locations of the seven bases in the game. Each player is also supplied with one stick and pennant K, having an individual color to correspond with the color ofhis throw-stick.

Referring now to the diagram of the locations of the bases and goals shown in Fig. 12, the bases are all equally spaced from the goals, and are so arranged that in casting, there is nointerference between the sections 1 'to 7 it being understood that seven sec- "tions constitute one round of the game. In each section are placed one each of the base- -istakes A and base-blocks "C, the players Iusually beingstationediat the'stakes A, but J'theblOcks Care alined 'onthe sections at'a less distance from the goals, and are to be used only by children or others not able to cast 'asrfar as the experienced or stronger fplayers. As preferably laid out, each stake ,A should be twenty-one feet from the center of the goal in the same section, while the block should be located but seventeen feet from the same goal. The following is the preferred sequence of goals in the different sections 1 to 7 inclusive: section 1, the 'wicketJ section 2, the lowest side h of the receptacle Hg. section 3, the side if of intermediate height of saidreceptacle; section 4, the middie 1; section 5, the single bowler G; section 6, the highest side [a of the receptaclelH; "and section 7, the pair of bowlers F on their base-block E. The players may plant their flag-sticks K on any part of the play-ground, at'such times as their relative "scores in th'egame authorize the placing of either the flag-stick alone or with the pennant added.

Method :of playing the game-While the "sections are preferably arranged relatively as shown in the diagram Fig/12, yet they may be arranged differently, and the different'sections may be placed relatively to each other as'convenient. A game comprises the counts of. all casts, whether successful or unsuccessful made in five rounds of the sections, the object being to make the goals in "a minimum number of casts, the bogey be- .inga single cast for each goal, or thirty-five in five rounds of the goals.

Under a certain limit or number of casts of the throw-sticks, each player is entitled to plant his flag-stick with the pennant thereon, while under a certain higher limit, he may plant only the stick without the pennant, but above the last limit he is not entitled to plant the stick on the ground. In the section 1, the player must cast his throw-stick through the wicket, and each cast is counted against him. In section 2 the stick must be cast over the side 71. into the receptacle, as is also the case in sections 3 and 6. In section A, the stick must be east through the middie I. In sections 5 and 7, the stick must be cast to knock down the single bowler G or the pair of bowlers F at a single cast each.

The game may be played by either one, two, three or four players.

The receptacle H is so constructed as to be readily disassembled, the cross-bars It being slipped from their sockets by stretching the flexible canvas of the sides or casing.

The game is easily learned and affords scope-for much skill and practice.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. An inclosure, comprising a plurality of spaced stakes, and a flexible cover stretched ab'out'said stakes to provide three sides of respectively increasing altitudes, the cover being closed at the bottom between the stakes.

2. A receptacle with sides of differing elevations, and an elongated throw-stick therefor, said stick having weights plugged into its ends.

3. A receptacle having four sides, of which two are of the same height, while the other sides are offset in different heights from the sides of even height, the upper edges of the said sides being horizontal.

4. A receptacle of rectangular form, having three of its sides offset to be of differing heights, and an elongated throw-stick of less length than either side to be cast thereinto.

5. A combination game, comprising a receptacle with sides of differing heights, an elongated throw-stick adapted to be cast thereinto from a base, separately stationed wickets through which the throw-stick may be cast from a base, and pins which may be toppled over by said throw-stick when cast from bases spaced therefrom.

6. A game, comprising a throw-stick, base-stakes, a like number of goals located at equal distances from the bases, one goal being a wicket; a second goal being a receptacle having its sides of differing heights of which the lowest is cleared inmaking this goal; a third goal being the same receptacle in which the side of intermediate height is cleared in making the goal; a fourth go l being a wicket or narrower aperture than the first-mentioned wicket; a fifth goal being a single bowler pin; a sixth goal being the aboveanentioned receptacle in which the highest side is cleared in making this goal, and a seventh goal comprising a pair of spaced bowler-pins.

7. A game, comprising a throw-stick, basestakes, a like number of goals located at equal distances from the bases, one goal being a wicket; a second goal being a receptacle having its sides of differing heights of which the lowest is cleared in making this goal; a third goal being the same receptacle in which the side of intermediate height is cleared in making the goal; a fourth goal being a wicket of narrower aperture than the first-mentioned wicket; a fifth goal being a single bowler pin; a sixth goal being the above-mentioned receptacle in which the highest side is cleared in making this goal, and a seventh goal comprising a pair of spaced bowler-pins, and a flag-stick and removable rigid pennant therefor for the use of each player.

Signed at Waterloo, Iowa, this 7th day of May, 1914.

GEORGE HARDY CLARK. Witnesses:

W. H. BRUNN, GEO. G. KENNEDY.

comer of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patenta.

Washington, D. G. 

